Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT: 2011-2015 (12-16 Sep 2011)

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dr. nervioso:
Marigold, I must say, is getting better. She is much more socially apt than when we met her a few hundred strips back.

See, Marigold is still in her social adolescence phase. Pretty much everyone has one. It usually happens in/after college or high school. For example, let's use the QC characters fr example : Marten's D&D nerdiness, Dora's gothness, and I would say Sven is having the transition right now. This idea is that n one is an asshole/ manwhore/etc. to their very core.Social adolescence is usually the transition between the selfish, depressed teenager to the more levelheaded adult.

Back to Marigold, I would assume that she has been sheltered for so long that she is delicate and is very sensitive to certain social situations (reference: Marigold and Angus). She is very behind with her emotional identity (She would go out with any guy if he was nice to her). The path ahead for Marigold is a tough one. She is going to have to get broken apart and rebuilt if she ever wants t become part of conventional society (Which is debatable that she actually does, seeing how she loves to live in an unconventional, virtual society)

She has made a few good steps to social maturity: She has met new friends, had a beer with them, admitted her feelings t a crush (Not in the most elegant way, but still). She is moving to a better place in her life step by step

John_Knee:

--- Quote from: Cornan on 16 Sep 2011, 14:16 ---
--- Quote from: John_Knee on 16 Sep 2011, 05:16 ---
--- Quote from: Cornan ---And we see once again why Marigold doesn't have any friends except those she's been forced to make.

--- End quote ---

That comment shows a complete understanding of what it is like to be introverted. Introverts don't seek out a large group of friends and the most introverted of people can make do with literately 1-2 close friends and a smallish group of associates that they know and will talk to but wouldn't in the traditional sense call friends. She (Marigold) doesn't have many friends because she hasn't tried to have a bigger group than Momo and Angus, with Hanners maybe joining that close friend status. Everyone else in her mind will be an extension of Angus and if Faye and Angus split up then there is no reason why she would otherwise seek people like Martin out. She may only continue to 'associate' with the rest of the characters of Coffee of Doom as long as Faye and Angus are together. If they did split up, she may still associate with the rest if Hanners joins her close friend group - in which case everyone else will become an extension of Hanners.

--- End quote ---

So it looks like this has been fairly well addressed already but I wanted to toss in my .02 bucks:

1) You don't know me. I have a perfectly clear understanding of what introversion is like because I am an introvert. When I was younger it was enough of an issue that I was seeing a doctor and getting medication to try to help (didn't work. Went off it with doctor's support). I understand EXACTLY what it's like to be an introvert and how the introvert perspective works. What introversion does not justify is being a jackass to the people who you are close to. I dislike Marigold's actions not because she's introverted but because she's repeatedly been a jerk to people who care about her and who she claims to care about. She's an extremely selfish person (so far. people can change and I keep hoping for that arc for her, but so far no dice) and while she complains about her social situation she does nothing to address it even when given multiple opportunities.

2) In this instance Marigold is being less of an introvert and more someone with a persecution complex. I was actually right with her in this strip up until the last panel. I understand the fear of abandonment and isolation that can come with seeing your friends become more social*. That doesn't excuse her asking Momo for one thing and then rejecting it when it's offered. I know we're supposed to chuckle at the joke but I just felt insulted on Momo's behalf. Mari keeps being given opportunities for the kind of social life she claims to want but doesn't take them and instead tries to make her close friends feel guilty for offering those opportunities to her. That's not cool, it's not ok, and it's not excused by introversion.

In short: Being an introvert doesn't mean you get to be a jerk.


--- End quote ---

What I was arguing against was your use of comments such as:

"If you need time to be by yourself and enjoy some alone time after hanging out with people because that's tiring, bingo: introvert."

Quite franky, that is a terribly poor definition of an introvert. All people at some point get fed up and need time out from people and if the definition above was taken as correct, then everyone would be classified as introverted. As for the "Mature Marigold" paragraph, I suspect she knows the way to gain more friends etc is to adopt an extroverted mindset.

1) I don't think Marigold's reaction to Momo is unique to her nor to being an introvert.

In terms of past activies of her being a 'jerk', then those times for me is as much to do with her being uneasy or inexperienced with the protocol of the situation. Steve has made a number of inappropriate comments in the presence of Martin and despite it being discussed in forums, Steve didn't seem to get so much negativity from it as Marigold. Some defended it as inside joke between friends who knew the bounderies, but as a much more extrovert character, Steve should know better. Marigold does make mistakes and comments that more socially capable people might not make, but Marigold has generally avoided such situations in the past and doesn't know.

And she has complained about her social life situation, I agree, but her complaints only really started once Angus and Faye started dating. She seemed more than happy with her social situation prior to that and didn't seem to complain in the times we met her prior to that. Hence, her complaints has been generated by outside influences that has forced her to socialised in a more extrovert way even if it doesn't come natural to her.

2) In direct response to: "Mari keeps being given opportunities for the kind of social life she claims to want but doesn't take them" - I disagree. Not on the basis of being given the opportunities but the idea the opportunities are the ones she wants. I don't believe she does ultimately want a more extrovert social life. I think what she really wants from her social life is the ability to socialise online with her raid guild and interact on a more face to face basis with Momo and Angus. I don't think she intended to make Momo feel guilty - she told Momo because Momo noticed she was down and asked. Marigold's turning down the offer of a movie or eating out is a common response from people regardless of their personality. Because I believe I know where Marigold is coming on, if I was in Momo's position then I wouldn't personally take offense. I've known plenty of extroverted people who do the same but then 30 minutes later it is all forgotten. If a person is feeling down and another person says they still love them etc then very rarely is a switch flicked in the person's brain and they suddenly become upbeat etc - not unless the person is prone to mood swings anyway. It would be interesting to see if Marigold on Monday does apologise to Momo or try to make it up to her.

Is it cold in here?:
Marigold may have been discontent prior to Faye and Angus dating. There was that comic where she emitted a lonely sigh.

jwhouk:
That was when Marty and Angus "defeated Awkwardness" at the HR.

Is it cold in here?:
Truly you are the Grand Master of the Archives.

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